Yorkshire Carnegie
Leeds Carnegie 13 Bristol 30
Happier times with Ronnie
By Martyn Horwell
March 9 2008
When I heard the Worcester result yesterday, although it wasn't what I'd wanted to hear, I also took consolation from the fact that we had 3 games coming up that we all expected we could win, and after 20 minutes of this afternoons match against a poor Bristol side, it looked like we were going to reduce the gap once again.
Less than a minute was on the clock when we snatched possession back from Bristol, and Andy Tuilagi crashed his way through 3 would be tacklers to score beside the posts. Di Bernado converted and we were on our way. A Bristol penalty on 6 minutes reduced the lead before Leeds missed 4 chances to increase their advantage. Di Bernado missed a straightforward penalty attempt on 10 minutes, and 5 minutes later Dunbar charged down an attempted clearance 30 metres out, and although winning the race for the ball was adjudged to have knocked on in the process.
Immediately Di Bernado missed another easy penalty, but he then placed a beautifully weighted kick into space only for the bounce to elude Hepworth who had a clear field in front of him. Balding and Macdonald were making good yards driving into the Bristol defence, and after Hohneck was sent to the sin bin, Di Bernado increased the lead to 10 - 3 with a penalty. Leeds then had some defending to do after some poor mid field tackiling, and another Barnes penalty made the score 10 - 6. Another penalty for Leeds restored the 7 point cushion, and they took this lead in to the interval only because of a magnificent try saving tackle by Tom Biggs on Perry, after he had broken away from a scrum.
Bristol restarted the game, and Myall collected the ball in his own 22. However Bristol turned the ball over, and that was about the last time in the game Leeds were to see it. Bristol introduced Darren Crompton after 50 minutes and from then on their pack made mincemeat of the Leeds forwards. Immediately Perry was driven over for a try converted by Barnes, and when Leeds restarted it was their first visit into the Bristol half since half time.
Shortly after this Perry crossed in the opposite corner before the Leeds defence opened up to let in Hignett for the try which effectively sealed the game. Bristol gained the bonus point when Joe El Abd walked through another huge gap and although Barnes failed to convert Bristol led 30 - 13. This concluded the scoring, and left the majority of the 3841 crowd wondering what had gone wrong after such a promising start.
Leeds performance in the second half today proved once and for all that the current team is not a premiership side. Too many individuals show flashes of what they can do, but they cannot do it over 80 minutes at this level. They make far too many errors and give the ball away even when not under pressure. This was summed up for me when Leeds won a Bristol line out in the second half, immediately turned the ball over, and were back defending again. Bristol had so much of the play in the second half, it is not an exaggeration to say that those of us who sit in the paddock, by the 22 at the scoreboard end of the field, almost had stiff necks watching the action in the opposite half of the field.
On todays performance relegation is a certainty, I just hope that over the next few weeks the players play with a pride and passion worthy of the club. I think we should also now be finding out who wants to stay and who doesn't, and also deciding who we want to stay. I am convinced we will bounce straight back, but the planning for that day has to start now. Mathematically we can still avoid relegation, but we need more than Smokey Robinson. We need all of his Miracles as well.
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Discussion started by TykesRugby.co.uk (IP Logged), 09/03/2008 22:29
He didn't comment on Mark C's camouflage jacket either- I could see Mark from my comfy chair in the North Stand- that's what I call cr@p.
Not mUch camo then Prawney!
PS If we could attract more than 3841 then you wouldn't have seen my jacket! If we had beaten Brizz you wouldn't have noticed it!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:03:09:23:01:19 by Mark_C.
PS If we could attract more than 3841 then you wouldn't have seen my jacket! If we had beaten Brizz you wouldn't have noticed it!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:03:09:23:01:19 by Mark_C.
Yes I have got a stiff neck as I was one of the Paddock people treated to one of the worst halves of rugby by a Leeds team in the last 5 years.
On a more positive note - everytime Haxbytyke pointed out a forward pass to Mr Fox, the ref duly obliged with a scrum to Leeds. A fine bit of reffing from the pair of them!
On a more positive note - everytime Haxbytyke pointed out a forward pass to Mr Fox, the ref duly obliged with a scrum to Leeds. A fine bit of reffing from the pair of them!
Thanks Martyn
Just about says it all!
looking forward to the Premiership next Season already...!
Just about says it all!
looking forward to the Premiership next Season already...!
Good report Martyn.
Mark all i could see was your hat from all that looking at anything but that abismal game of rugby! (yes i was blinded by it too)
Some say he has a Tykes flag with team signatures on.
Others say that he's doing the same to the Carnegie flag,
All we know is that he's called Leeds carnegie signed flag.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:03:10:21:02:40 by Leeds carnegie signed flag.
Mark all i could see was your hat from all that looking at anything but that abismal game of rugby! (yes i was blinded by it too)
Some say he has a Tykes flag with team signatures on.
Others say that he's doing the same to the Carnegie flag,
All we know is that he's called Leeds carnegie signed flag.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:03:10:21:02:40 by Leeds carnegie signed flag.
First time in 4 years that I left before the whistle, that's how bad the second half was.
I think that yesterday's second half encapsulated all that has been bad in performances to date this season. It came on a day when the team just had to raise the stakes and has doubly underlined the fact that these are not yet anything approaching the all round standards required of premiership participation. That said I will still go back hoping to witness the turn round and the fruition of Lanny's plans.
Think it was Hobson that came on at 50minutes not DC, but good report otherwise.
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